In a first of its kind co-promotional partnership, CNBC and Barista are organizing a series of contests for the ad and marketing community in the country, between July and September this year.

The channel's advertising and marketing show, Storyboard invites creative wizards to showcase their talent in the Storyboard Brew - Crack the Brief contest. A cup of Storyboard Brew at any Barista outlet gets an applicant a contest form, which has to be filled with a catchy headline for the visual given. Although targeted at the ad and marketing community, the contest is open to all Barista customers, says the channel.

Among the over Rs 1.5 million worth of prizes that are to be given away during the contest, are Lacoste merchandise and Esprit watches every week, with the best creative entry for the month winning a Fiat Palio. Storyboard, says the channel, will promote the contest within the show and Barista will support the same through placement of promotional items and contest forms at all the outlets.

Says CNBC India CEO Haresh Chawla: "It is rare for a TV show, especially in the news realm, to engage its audience in this manner, but Storyboard lends itself well to such an activity due to its special character and the vibrancy of its audience. This association gives the channel an opportunity to interact with Storyboard's potential viewers in a novel way that invokes the intellect, communicating what the show has to offer in an ambience that is consonant with Storyboard's image."

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